Uncapped trio in Bangladesh squad for Windies ODIs

Uncapped pacers Hasan Mahmud and Shariful Islam and spinner Mahedi Hasan were included in the Bangladesh ODI team as Bangladesh Cricket Board declared an 18-member squad for the home series against the West Indies.

“We have declared an 18-member squad due to the Covid-19 situation. You never know who gets ill when. We have named three uncapped players Mahedi, Shariful and Hasan as they are part of the plan. We have initiated our next way forward through this series. They have been included so that they can remain close to the team management and go through a process,” chief national selector Minhajul Abedin said to the media.

“We have a plan for the 2023 World Cup and want to go ahead series by series. As we got the West Indies at home now, we look to play well in this series and get to a good start.

“We tried to keep all combinations open for us in the squad let it be pace bowling or spin. We can have replacements according to the need. We have a good team combination, batting and bowling is well balanced. I believe this team will gift us a good series.”

Right-arm paceman Hasan and off-spinner Mahedi have already tasted the experience in the national dressing room having played for the country in T20s. 

Hasan made his debut in international cricket in the home series against Zimbabwe in March last year, playing one T20 in the two-match series. 

Also handy with the bat, Mahedi has played four T20s for Bangladesh having made his debut in the shortest format in 2018.

However, for left-arm pace bowler Shariful, the occasion is the first to get called up into the national squad in any format of the game.

Meanwhile, ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan has returned to the national dressing room through the squad. 

Shakib completed his one-year ban imposed by the International Cricket Council in October last year. 

Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur will hold the first two games Wednesday and Friday respectively.

The third and final ODI will be played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on January 25.

18-man squad

Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Shakib al Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Saifuddin, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Shariful Islam